Premier Cricket 2020-21: Carlton’s Eddy O’Sullivan destroys Richmond

While Brayden Stepien has hogged the headlines, another Carlton star is staking his claim for higher honours according to captain-coach Evan Gulbis.

Carlton’s Evan Gulbis on his way to 42 against Richmond. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Carlton’s Eddy O’Sullivan dismantled another opposition batting line-up on Saturday with Evan Gulbis declaring his left-arm spinner was capable of competing at a higher level.

More than steady, O’Sullivan collected 5-24 from 10 immaculate overs as the Blues extended their unbeaten run in Premier Cricket to six games with an emphatic 74-run win over Richmond.

The star tweaker removed four of the Tigers’ top-six batsmen at Princes Park in a season-best display.

The haul lifted O’Sullivan’s 2020-21 tally to 14 wickets at 14.6 apiece, with eight coming this year.

O’Sullivan was selected in Victoria’s Emerging Performance Squad last June, which prepares players for potential professional careers.

Eddy O'Sullivan is in red-hot form. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Carlton captain-coach Gulbis, who represented Victoria and Tasmania at state level and had stints with Melbourne Stars and Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, heaped praise on the ever-consistent spinner.

“He’s been a quality white-ball bowler and is a very good player,” Gulbis said.

“Taking five wickets at Carlton is a pretty good effort because it’s normally a pretty flat wicket. He was fantastic.

“He can definitely play higher if an opportunity.”

O’Sullivan was below his best in 2019-20, grabbing five wickets from nine Premier First XI appearances.

But he collected 36 wickets in 2018-19, including a best of 7-35, and is rated among the competition’s best slow bowlers.

Asked if O’Sullivan was bowling as well as ever, Gulbis said: “I think so. White-ball games suit him really well.

“I’ve seen him play a few red-ball games where he’s probably bowled better.

“But what he did (on Saturday), especially in his first spell, by taking three wickets and going at one an over when they need six or seven runs an over, it was pretty outstanding.”

The Blues were 3-63 after being sent in to bat, with Gulbis contributing 42 at the top of the order.

But No.4 Tom Smyth (77 from 87 balls) and No.5 Nick Ross (60 from 73) again underlined their class in the absence of gun opener Brayden Stepien (BBL duties).

Tom Smyth produced another fine knock for Carlton. Picture: Andy Brownbill

After both hammering centuries against Essendon the previous week, the pair combined for a 125-run stand for the fourth wicket.

“They’re class. We know what they’re capable of and being able to perform like that gives our top order great confidence to go about their business,” Gulbis said.

“We’re trying to develop a few of our players and having them being so rock solid allows us to do so.”

Harry Smyth (36 not out from 37) also impressed to lift Carlton to 7-273 from its 50 overs.

Richmond reached 199 from 47 overs in reply, with Xavier Crone (2-31) and Gulbis (2-57) supporting O’Sullivan.

Xavier Crone shows the full face of the bat. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Gulbis said his bowling attack looked to “hunt as a pack”.

“At certain times different bowlers get the results, but generally we all bowl pretty well,” he said.

“We all just try and play our roles.”

The Blues are the only team with an unblemished record, with St Kilda suffering a shock loss to Kingston Hawthorn in Round 6.

The top-two sides will meet at Princes Park next weekend in what shapes as a mouth-watering clash.

“We’ll have to be at our best to beat them,” Gulbis said of the Saints.

“They’re a proud club and obviously they’re going to come out firing after what happened … we’ll have to be at our best and go to a new level to knock them off.”